Issuu

Hertsmere News Hertsmere Borough Council’s Magazine Winter 2014

Inside this issue

Christmas recycling A-Z • Registering to vote Development updates • Community news

Community news

Seeking your views Thanks go to those residents who took the time to give their views on our services in our three-yearly residents’ survey recently. The independent survey has taken place every three years since 1999 to ensure we are providing what our communities want and need. Questions focus around our key service areas including recycling and community safety as well as the way we communicate and the local area in general. The results – due to be published early next year – will help us understand more about what services and issues are important to residents and enable us to make further improvements to the way we work. The survey was conducted over the telephone with a random but representative cross section of residents.

Find out first

Get the latest co uncil news stra ight to your inbox through our new e-alerts , 'News for you' As well as being .

able to receive this magazine electronically, you’ll be among the first to get ou r latest news, events and info rmation as it happens. And yo u can choose to receive our free e-alerts about th e news that matte rs to you – whether you’re interested in events in your lo cal park, how to recycle better, co mmunity safety

advice or watchi ng the latest council meeting. We will be launch ing ‘News for you’ in the New Year. Subscribe on our website – look out for a little purple butto n! You can also sign up via Face book and Twitter .

Creative cards Christmas came early for a group of local schoolchildren who picked up prizes in our annual Christmas card competition. The judges – Mayor of Hertsmere Cllr Carey Keates and his 10-year-old granddaughter Gracie – were spoilt for choice having hundreds of designs to sift through from pupils across the borough. The winners were: • FIRST Nabrissa Badu, aged 10, from Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood. • SECOND Riya Rajesh, aged 9, from St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Borehamwood. • RUNNER-UP Jack Trimmer, aged 5, also from St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School. • RUNNER-UP Bella Radley, aged 8, from Ladbrooke JMI School in Potters Bar. • RUNNER-UP Belle Gilligan, aged 10, also from St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School. Nabrissa’s innovative image of festive characters holding hands with a happy Hertsmere ‘H’ logo will be used as the council’s electronic greeting and Riya’s peace on earth drawing will be used by the Mayor.

2 | Winter 2014 | Hertsmere News | www.hertsmere.gov.uk

Cllr Keates said: “We thoroughly enjoyed looking through the designs, it was lovely to see so many children put the effort in. It was a difficult decision but the five winning cards stood out for us. Well done to all the winners and we’d like to say a really big thank you to all the children and schools that took part.” All five winners received a certificate, gift voucher and a pack of their own cards to give to friends and family. Below, from left to right: Bella, Jack, Riya, Belle and Nabrissa.

In this issue

Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hertsmere

Welcome In this issue we look forward to a new year and providing new services, as well as look back at an eventful 2014 which marked the council's 40th birthday as well as 100 years of local filmmaking. Thanks to all local residents who got involved in the celebrations. The festive season is a hectic time for most of us and not least your borough council which is busy preparing for the launch of our new ealerts facility which will enable you to keep in touch with us about the things that matter to you. In addition we have just come to the end of our most recent residents’ survey in which we asked 1,000 people from a cross section of our communities about the services we provide and the area in which they live. We carry out this survey every three years – something not every local council does – to ensure we are offering the services you need and want so we can make adjustments where necessary. Furthermore, we are taking a lead with certain health initiatives thanks to external funding. What better time

Contents 5 Registering to vote

is there to start leading a healthier lifestyle than the New Year? The council is also busy getting ready for the general and local elections in May. The way you register to vote has changed nationally and we know the new system has not been straightforward for some electors, my wife included, but staff are coping well under the pressure. If you have received a letter asking you to provide more information please respond as soon as you can. Last but not least, season’s greetings to you all and here’s to a happy, healthy and peaceful 2015. PS. Please don’t forget to recycle all your festive waste including any leftover food you can’t eat – follow our guide on the centre pages.

Councillor Morris Bright Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council leader@hertsmere.gov.uk

Collection calendar You should receive a waste and recycling collection calendar for the first half of 2015 with this magazine. If yours is missing please contact us or you can download one from

www.hertsmere.gov.uk/collectioncalendar

On the cover: The Mayor Cllr Carey Keates with Nabrissa Badu, winner of our Christmas card competition

7 Do you know someone special? 8 Christmas recycling 11 Housing and development 12 Dog poo – we’re watching you! 15 Councillor contacts 16 What’s on

Visit us Hertsmere Borough Council Civic Offices, Elstree Way Borehamwood, WD6 1WA Open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5.15pm, Friday 9am to 5pm Bushey Area Office The Bushey Centre, High Street Bushey, WD23 1TT Open Tuesdays, 9.30am to 2pm Potters Bar Area Office Wyllyotts Centre, Wyllyotts Place Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 2HN Open Thursdays, 9.30am to 2pm

If you would like this magazine in a different format please call 020 8207 7445. This magazine is produced by Hertsmere Borough Council three times a year. We welcome stories and photos – email them to corporate.communications@ hertsmere.gov.uk The deadline for the next issue which is due out in March is 19 January. Each edition costs around 23p per copy to design, print and deliver. When you have finished with it, please recycle it in your blue box or at a local recycling bank.

www.hertsmere.gov.uk | Hertsmere News | Summer 2014 | 3

Community news

Flu jabs If you’re eligible for a flu vaccine you’re not too late. Flu is unpleasant for anyone but can cause serious health problems for certain people including those who are very young, over 65 or pregnant. The best way to protect yourself is by having a free jab at your local doctor’s surgery. The vaccine is safe, quick and contrary to what some people think, it won’t give you flu.

The council’s Civic Offices in Borehamwood is now also home to local police officers and PCSOs who relocated from Borehamwood Police Station earlier this year. The move will save money and improve partnership working. Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd officially opened the station in July, pictured right with Deputy Chief Constable Alison Roome-Gifford, Leader of the Council Morris Bright (left) and Hertsmere’s Chief Executive Donald Graham (back).

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/flu

Over 60s get the Strictly bug Some of you will no doubt be hooked on Strictly Come Dancing, filmed at the councilowned Elstree Studios, but it hasn’t just been celebrities donning their dancing shoes – around 40 local residents aged over 60 also took to the dance floor in October to help celebrate Older People’s Day. One delighted attendee said: “I should like to say a big thank you to the council for organising a tea dance for Older People’s Day. The afternoon was most enjoyable and everyone worked hard to let us oldies reminisce with the lovely music and the professional dancers were spectacular.”

Above: The Mayor Cllr Carey Keates and his wife with Coffee Ethic baristas

Coffee with a conscience

Visitors to our Civic Offices in Borehamwood are being greeted by the fresh aroma of ground coffee thanks to 'Coffee Ethic'. The social enterprise kiosk, managed by Hertfordshire-based charity Druglink, offers a great cuppa, cold drinks and snacks as well as work opportunities to people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction

to help them reintegrate into society. The council helped fund the project.

Pest problem?

On the buses

Do you have a problem with rats, mice, wasps or other pests? If so the council can help.

Do you travel by bus or train? Did you know there’s a dedicated website and free smartphone app to help you get around Hertfordshire?

Hertsmere offers a cost-effective pest control service to treat a range of pests either in or around your home. We use a variety of professional techniques and products to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Get the latest travel updates, timetables and maps as well as ticket and discount information from Intalink, a partnership of local councils and transport operators which all help fund it.

For advice and more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/pestcontrol or call 020 8207 2277.

4 | Winter 2014 | Hertsmere News | www.hertsmere.gov.uk

Follow them on Twitter @CoffeeEthic

Visit www.intalink.org.uk or download their free app from your app store –available on iPhone and Android.

Community news

Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hertsmere

Are you registered to vote? Want to be a councillor? There could be a new influx of councillors at Hertsmere’s first ‘whole council’ election next year, with more than 10 people attending our annual ‘Be a councillor’ event in September. The event aims to encourage more people from all walks of life to consider becoming a councillor and feedback from attendees was very positive. All of Hertsmere’s 39 councillors as well as town and parish councillors will be up for election in May 2015, and every four years after that, following a change in the frequency of local elections to save money and help provide a more strategic, longterm vision.

For more information about being a councillor visit www.beacouncillor.org.uk

Don’t miss out on having your say in the general and local elections on 7 May – make sure you are registered to vote. The way you register to vote has now evidence of their identity to satisfy changed to ‘individual electoral government requirements, such as a copy of registration’ (IER) following new rules from their passport, photo driving licence or a utility bill. the government to help modernise the Jo Bateman, Hertsmere’s Principal system and prevent electoral Electoral Services Officer, said: fraud. This means that instead “If you have received a letter of registering to vote on one from us asking you to form per household, each complete a new form or to person has to register provide more information separately with their please get in touch as national insurance soon as possible. We number, either on an apologise for any individual form or you will be up inconvenience caused but can now register to vote we have to follow the new online. for election government rules. In addition, We have written to all in May if you know you aren’t registered electors to explain the new to vote or perhaps your address has system and the majority of people changed or you turn 18 before the elections, were automatically transferred to a new please contact us or register online.” electoral register if their details matched with government records. However, a For more information and to number of people’s details didn’t match so register to vote online visit they have been sent a new form to complete. Unfortunately, we have found a www.hertsmere.gov.uk/ier, alternatively small percentage of people’s forms still call 020 8207 7481. aren’t matching with government records so these people are asked to provide further

All 39

councillors

Happy 40th Special roses were planted at the award-winning Bushey Rose Garden in July as part of our celebrations to mark 40 years of Hertsmere. During the annual garden party, five Rosa ‘Ruby Anniversary’ rose bushes were planted by the Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Carey Keates, and his wife Shirley with help from gardener Ami Cowley and representatives from the Friends of Bushey Rose Garden.

Above: Staff outside the Civic Offices celebrating Hertsmere's 40th anniversary.

www.hertsmere.gov.uk | Hertsmere News | Summer 2014 | 5

Health and community news

Health in Hertsmere Healthy cooking classes, physical activities and money advice could all form part of the solution to help improve the health and wellbeing of local residents as the council takes a leading role in public health Hertfordshire County Council took over the responsibility for public health services from the NHS in 2013 and has since asked each local council to deliver certain health initiatives on their behalf. In response, the council is writing a strategy on how it plans to tackle the borough’s main health issues, such as obesity, diabetes and mental health. It is based on local data and responses to a health survey we conducted over the summer in partnership with Community Action Hertsmere.

In addition, the council is offering one-off grants of up to £3,000 to voluntary organisations, social enterprises and charities which are already providing or planning to provide projects to promote health and wellbeing. The deadline to apply is 22 December. For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/health or call 020 8207 7801.

Get fit in Bushey

pian

by Paralym ially opened m was offic i gy ag w al ne en e er Th D ember Derek and gym m

If you live in Bushey and are wondering how to get fit and healthy in time for the Christmas party season, look no further than the recently refurbished gym at Bushey Grove Leisure Centre. Hertsmere Leisure, which manages all the council’s leisure centres including The Venue in Borehamwood and the Furzefield Centre in Potters Bar, has invested £250,000 to provide the latest, top-of-therange equipment to help residents be fit and active.

For membership offers and enquiries visit www.hertsmereleisure.co.uk or call 020 8386 9886.

Helping our heroes If you’re a member of the serving or retired armed forces community, did you know you can benefit from support in Hertfordshire? Hertsmere Borough Council is one of many organisations which has signed The Hertfordshire Community Covenant to show our commitment to helping Hertfordshire’s heroes. The overall aim of the pledge is to ensure that no active or retired member of the armed forces is disadvantaged as a result of serving their country and support on offer includes help with housing, jobs and health and wellbeing. Some local businesses have also shown their support by signing up to the Proud to Support scheme to offer discounts on travel, leisure and other services. HertsHelp, a network of community organisations, can also help you access a wealth of information and support. For more information visit www.hertfordshireheroes.org and www.hertsdirect.org/hertshelp You can also call HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044.

6 | Winter 2014 | Hertsmere News | www.hertsmere.gov.uk

Nominate someone special

Need a lift? Are you stuck indoors? Need to get to the shops or a hospital appointment? Hertsmere Community Transport provides an accessible, low-cost, doorto-door travel service for those who find it difficult to drive or use public transport. They are also looking for volunteer drivers, expenses are covered.

Do you know someone special in your local community who gives up their time for others? If so the Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Carey Keates, wants to hear from you as he’s looking for nominations for the council’s annual Civic Awards. The Awards recognise unsung heroes from across the borough who play an active role in their community. There are six Civic Awards up for grabs as well as the Dave Rankin Award for improving community safety and for the first time, a dedicated Youth Award for under 18s.

For more information visit www.hertsmerecommunity transport.org or call 020 8207 5055.

The deadline for nominations is 14 January with a ceremony in March.

For more information and to nominate someone please go to www.hertsmere.gov.uk/civicawards or call the mayor’s secretary on 020 8207 7477.

Community groups share in £40,000 We’d all love £40,000 or even a share of it and that’s what more than 20 local community groups are doing, having collectively been awarded that amount in grants to help keep residents happy and healthy. A total of £42,253 was handed to 24 community and voluntary organisations serving the Hertsmere area including: • £988 for Hertsmere Play Association to provide play services during the summer. • £1,000 for Cruse Bereavement Care Hertfordshire to provide telephone support to clients in Hertsmere.

Watching out for each other

• £2,409 for Herts Mind Network to improve the environment for service users at the Wellbeing Centre, No. 10 Leeming Road, Borehamwood. • £3,000 for Potters Bar Additional Needs Tennis Group to provide tennis coaching for new groups such as Mencap. Grants are available again in March.

Funding for The Ark Borehamwood’s Ark Theatre has received council funding to help it sustain its full cultural programme up to August next year. The council’s Executive agreed a one-off discretionary grant of £25,500 for the community theatre which is managed by Hertswood Academy. The theatre is due to close in August 2015 ahead of the school’s redevelopment which will include a brand new theatre. Council Leader, Cllr Morris Bright, said: “Without our financial support the theatre indicated that it would struggle to continue to operate its full programme so we have stepped in to ensure that its excellent range of cultural activities can be sustained.”

Find out what’s on at The Ark at www.thearktheatre.co.uk or call 020 8238 7288.

There’s more to Neighbourhood Watch than twitching curtains – join more than 70,000 people in Hertfordshire who are helping to protect their local community. It’s one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives, based on a simple idea that you and your neighbours can help reduce crime and create a safer and better place to live. Members can do as much or as little as they like but generally you will receive regular police updates and alerts – you could find yourself helping with a range of issues from looking out for stolen property to finding missing people.

Join at www.OWL.co.uk, email wlo@herts.pnn.police.uk or call the police non-emergency number 101 and ask for your Watch Liaison Officer.

www.hertsmere.gov.uk | Hertsmere News | Winter 2014 | 7

Recycling news

Revised collections This A to Z guide was popular in last winter’s issue so we hope it comes in handy again this year! During the festive season about 30% more rubbish is produced so please remember to ‘reduce, reuse, recycle and recover’ this Christmas. Please check the new list as some items may have changed. For more information on having an eco-friendly Christmas, including yummy leftover recipes, please visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/xmaswaste, call 020 8207 7480, or like us at www.facebook.com/recycleforhertsmere .

What is it?

Where can I put it?

For details of your revised waste and recyling collections this Christmas and New Year please refer to your enclosed collection calendar. You will also get a bin hook-on (pictured) in the run-up to Christmas. Both will have details of real Christmas tree shredding in January in Borehamwood, Bushey, Potters Bar and Radlett.

Brown bin/ Green bin Blue box black box

Advent calendar – plastic insert and cardboard outer (separated) Batteries Baubles Bubble wrap Cardboard boxes Cartons e.g. juice drinks/custard Christmas cards Christmas catalogues Christmas tree – fake Christmas tree – real Crackers Crisp/sweet tubes e.g. Pringles/Jaffa Cakes Electrical items – anything with a plug/ batteries Fairy lights Flowers Foil & foil containers – clean Foil & foil containers – dirty/greasy Food – all food waste Glassware e.g. drinking glasses, vases, bowls Holly/mistletoe Kitchen towel and paper napkins Padded envelopes/Jiffy bags Party poppers Plastic pots e.g. cream/yoghurt Polystyrene packaging Ribbon Sweet/biscuit tins e.g. Quality Street Tinsel Toys Wrapping paper 8 | Winter 2014 | Hertsmere News | www.hertsmere.gov.uk

Black bin Other/Comments In addition to your recycling bins and boxes, there are other ways to recycle your waste.

Local tip/recycling banks

Or recycle at Morrisons or Sainsbury’s or at a local recycling point

Or shred it (see collection calendar) or recycle at the tip

Local tip/recycling banks Local tip/recycling banks

See page 9 of this magazine

Or can you reuse it?

Or donate to local charity shop Or can you reuse it?

Hertsmere_8ppFinancialReport_Layout 1 18/11/2014 15:51 Page 1

Our annual summary report Hertsmere Borough Council, working with you, for you

How yo counci ur l tax is spen t

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

Welcome to our summary report Our annual financial report and statement of accounts have now been published and this document gives a summary of that report and explains what happens to your council tax and how we spend the money we receive.

£48 a year

Hertsmere Borough Council plays a leading role in improving the quality of life for its residents and we recognise that now, more than ever before, we need to demonstrate to you what your council tax pays for. We’ve been working hard to deliver services which make a real difference to our communities, focusing on the things that you have been telling us you want.

ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE AND RECYCLING

The average household spend In 2013/14 council services cost an average band D property around £157 per year (remaining unchanged since 2009/10), which was split as shown below. ■ Environmental,

waste and recycling services

31%

■ Cultural services ■ Planning, economic

23%

development and building control

■ Central and democratic services

13%

21%

■ Highways, roads and transport

■ Housing services While Hertsmere collects your total council tax (£1,447 for an average band D property), it does not keep it all. Just 11 pence in every pound is used by Hertsmere, while the rest of the money you pay goes to other public organisations. See the last page of this report. In order to keep council tax as low as possible, please ensure that you are registered with your General Practitioner (GP)

2 | Working with you, for you | Your annual summary report from Hertsmere Borough Council

ENVIRONMEN TAL, WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES

31%

CULTURAL SERVICES PLANNING, EC DEVELOPMEN ONOMIC T AND BUILDING CONTROL CENTRAL AN D DEMOCRATIC SERVICES* HIGHWAYS, RO AND TRANSP ADS ORT HOUSING SE RVICES TOTAL

£48

21%

13% 23% 5% 7% 100%

£34

£21 £35 £8 £11 £157

Hertsmere_8ppFinancialReport_Layout 1 18/11/2014 15:52 Page 3

Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

£21 a year

PLANNING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING CONTROL

£8 a year HIGHWAYS, ROADS AND TRANSPORT

What the figures mean Environmental, waste & recycling services £48 a year Hertsmere’s priority is to protect and enhance the quality of its environments. This portion of your council tax, almost one third of the total charge, pays for services that are most commonly associated with the council, such as street cleaning and waste and recycling collections. The quality of service has been maintained, as seen in our kerbside recycling collections. Recycling is always high on the local and national agendas and we continuously review the service to help residents to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill and to create good quality compost. Your £48 a year also pays for cemeteries, engineering and drainage, pollution reduction, health and safety e.g. making sure that your food is safe, pest control, licensing of premises, provision of community toilets and community safety such as supporting Police Community Support Officers. We know from our consultations with residents that this area of expenditure is a priority for you.

Cultural services £34 a year The council has a responsibility to promote healthy living and to provide cultural and leisure opportunities to local residents. This portion of your council tax pays for things like structural maintenance of the leisure centres in the borough (which are managed on our behalf by Hertsmere Leisure), schemes for young people, allotments, museums and galleries, theatres, community centres, parks and open spaces. Once again, the high quality of our parks and open spaces can be seen in the six Green Flag Awards we have maintained for another year, the highest number in the county! This year saw the opening of the community hub 96 Shenley Road, including the rehoused Elstree & Borehamwood Museum (both of which received grants from our capital resources).

Planning, economic development & building control £21 a year Planning permission is required for most alterations and developments and the planning department looks after all these issues to ensure that development is managed and that conservation areas are protected. All of the borough’s land outside the main towns is in the green belt and we know from surveys of residents’ views that you want us to protect it for future generations so this is what we’re trying to do.

We’re also responsible for economic development – such as encouraging new business to the area and helping existing businesses to identify opportunities to grow – and we have continued to provide funding to the Citizens Advice Bureau to help pay for a specialist money advisor to support debt counselling. Again we know that this is an area of expenditure which residents strongly support. Our building control section ensures buildings are properly designed and constructed and meet health and safety regulations.

Highways, roads & transport £8 a year Although Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for the majority of roads, public transport and street lights, your £8 a year helps us to pay for certain highways issues, lighting in our parks, car parks and cycle ways.

How to get the full report You can download the full annual financial report and statement of accounts from our website at www.hertsmere.gov.uk If you have any questions, or would like a copy sent to you, please write to: The Director of Resources Hertsmere Borough Council Civic Offices, Elstree Way Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 1WA or phone 020 8207 2277 or email accountancy.finance@hertsmere.gov.uk

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

Central & democratic services £35 a year

Housing services £11 a year

Your council tax helps pay for the running of borough elections and ensuring that the democratic process is upheld, collecting council tax and business rates and providing information to home buyers and agents about land in the borough.

We provide grants for disabled facilities, provide emergency accommodation and work with registered social landlords (RSLs) to develop good quality homes for our residents.

This is a key service and we are committed to good corporate governance and transparency in all our activities. You will find reports and minutes of all our meetings on our website or you can get involved in our public meetings by attending or watching them live or afterwards via our webcast microsite at www.hertsmere.public-i.tv. We are responsible for collecting business rates and council tax totalling £101m (much of it paid electronically; our website payment facility is available 24/7), as well as paying out housing benefits of £39m. In order to let residents know what we spend our money on, and to ensure that our expenditure is transparent and open, we publish the details of all payments £500 or more on our website.

We have continued to reduce our reliance on the use of bed and breakfast accommodation by improving the supply of decent accommodation, using a mixture of private sector properties and our own accommodation.

£34 a year CULTURAL SERVICES

Enjoying a museum visit 4 | Working with you, for you | Your annual summary report from Hertsmere Borough Council

£11 a year HOUSING SERVICES

£35 a year CENTRAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

A summary of the council’s accounts 2013/14 The following pages provide details of the council’s spending and income during 2013/14 and its financial position at 31 March 2014.

The council’s statement of accounts has been prepared using recommended accounting practice. The independent auditors, appointed by the Audit Commission, have provided their opinion that the accounts give a true and fair view of the financial position of the council at 31 March 2014, and its income and expenditure for the year.

Income and expenditure In 2013-14 we neared the end of the coalition Government’s four-year spending review and were given information about the financial settlements that we could expect during the next parliamentary term. Using the most up-to-date information available, we have estimated that by 2018/19 our central government grant will have reduced by around 45% from nearly £7.5m in 2010/11 to just over £4m in 2018/19. We have already made savings of around £2m, but over the next four years we will probably still have to find not far short of a further £1.5m. This income and expenditure account summarises the council’s financial performance for both the current and previous financial year. The council tax has been frozen for the last five years and in 2013/14 we continued to pursue savings and efficiency measures such as partnership working with other local authorities, sharing back office services and managing the collection and recycling of waste. Whilst the variations in costs between the two years shown in the table to the right reflect our pursuit of savings they also show that we have received grants to help with the delivery of some of our services. Along with all other local authorities, we introduced new council tax and business rates schemes in 2013/14. Instead of paying out council tax benefit on behalf of the Government, we set up our own support scheme, funded by a combination of grant and new charges. This reduced the previous cost of this benefit by 10%. Instead of paying all our business rates into the national pool, we shared them amongst the council, central government and Hertfordshire County Council, after setting aside funds to meet the cost of possible appeals against rateable values in future. The council generated an operational surplus of £188,000 for the year. However, very specific accounting requirements for local authorities mean that costs such as that of setting aside money for the appeals referred to above have yet to hit the council’s general reserve (the ‘council fund’), i.e. its free funds. This has resulted in the general reserve increasing by £2.143m simply because of the implementation of the new business rates scheme in 2013/14 but this increase is expected to be eliminated in 2014/15.

The figures in this summary have been based on the audited accounts but some modifications have been made to provide more meaningful information. A full copy of the council’s statement of accounts is available on our website www.hertsmere.gov.uk

2012/13

2013/14

£million Net cost of services provided

£million

4.57

Environmental, waste and recycling services

4.81

2.57

Cultural services

3.29

(0.03)

Planning, economic development and building control

(0.59)

3.44

Central and democratic services

3.26

(0.02)

Highways, roads and transport

(0.15)

0.93

Housing services

0.34

5.51

Charges for depreciation, impairment and write-offs of assets

6.54

0.00

Reversal of impairment charge made in previous years

(5.11)

(0.91)

Grants credited to services

(0.87)

16.06

Total cost of services before exceptional credits and charges

11.52

0.30

Exceptional charges

0.00

0.64

Precepts and other operating income and expenditure

0.63

0.80

Finance and investment income and expenditure

(0.15)

17.80

Net expenditure

12.00

(2.32)

Additional amount (credited)/charged to the council fund as a result of legislative and accounting standards applied to local authorities

0.76

15.48

Net expenditure charged to the council fund

12.76

Paid for by: (7.58)

Income from council tax

(6.95)

(4.29)

General government grants

(4.53)

(0.53)

Capital grants and contributions

(1.22)

(2.10)

Income from national non-domestic rates

(2.20)

(14.50)

Total income credited to the council fund

(14.90)

0.98

Council fund (surplus)/deficit for the year

(2.14)

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

Balance sheet The council’s net worth increased from £85.22m at 31 March 2013 to £95.5m at 31 March 2014. There were two main reasons for this: firstly, some of our properties gained in value at the time of our annual revaluation exercise and secondly, the council’s net pension fund deficit decreased from £38.70m to £34.07m. The value of assets held within the scheme increased from £59.65m to £63.55m and the scheme’s liabilities decreased slightly from £98.35m to £97.62m. Investment returns for the past year were higher than expected and the financial and actuarial assumptions concerning future liabilities at 31 March 2014 were a little more favourable than they were at 31 March 2013. It is important to recognise that the pension fund liability reflects the outlook using assumptions which cover an extremely long term. The fund is valued every three years and the most recent valuation for which results are available was carried out as at 31 March 2013. The council spent £7.212m on capital projects (see next section), including £3.3m to clear contaminated land at Elstree Studios to enable the company to take advantage of the upturn in demand for its facilities and £1.1m to convert the ground floor of the Civic Offices and lease it out as the local police station. Not all capital expenditure is funded by the borough; we used grants and contributions of £1.4m from government and other partners in 2013/14, which included a contribution of 50% of the cost of the police accommodation from the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner. As mentioned previously, although the council made an operational surplus of £188,000, an accounting transaction resulted in the general reserve increasing by £2.1m and the council fund now amounts to £9.41m. This reserve needs to be maintained at an adequate level but is available if the need arises to fund any unforeseen contingencies. The council also has restricted and earmarked reserves, of which £15.44m has been set aside for specific revenue and capital projects such as land drainage, the replacement of

2012/13 £million What the council owns: 101.11 Non-current assets: land, buildings, equipment, software 11.13 11.46 7.30 131.00

Investments Cash and stock Money owed to the council Total owned by the council

What the council owes: (7.08) Money owed by the council (38.70) Pension fund deficit (45.78) Total owed by the council 85.22

7.27 77.95 85.22

Net worth of the council This has been financed by: General fund: i.e. available for spending if required Other restricted and earmarked reserves Total reserves

2013/14 £million 109.35 15.02 10.69 8.97 144.03

(14.46) (34.07) (48.53) 95.50

9.41 86.09 95.50

refuse vehicles and other plant and equipment and major works to leisure centres. Capital receipts and grants yet to be applied to expenditure total £7.04m. Other reserves, referred to as ‘unusable’, represent funding for capital expenditure incurred to date. The council is able to withstand the financial pressures of the financial settlement in part because of these healthy reserves but their use must be planned and our medium-term financial strategy looks ahead for the next four years and sets out our assumptions about future expenditure and funding in both a national and a regional context. You can read more about this on our website at www.hertsmere.gov.uk.

Projects during the year included the clearance of land at Elstree Studios 6 | Working with you, for you | Your annual summary report from Hertsmere Borough Council

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

Capital spending Capital spending is money spent on buying, upgrading and improving assets such as buildings, vehicles and equipment. Capital spending during the year amounted to £7.212m which can be classified into the following types of assets:

Some of the main projects undertaken during the year: Department

Environmental, Replacement of refuse and recycling waste and vehicles recycling Replacement of air monitoring services equipment Cultural services

£1,100k Property, legal and support services

£3,682k

£922k £299k ■ Improvements at Elstree Film Studios ■ Expenditure on 96 Shenley Road ■ Other improvements, replacement and refurbishment ■ Systems software ■ Disability access grants ■ Vehicles, plant and equipment ■ Construction of police accommodation

The community hub at 96 Shenley Road

Other projects Contribution to 96 Shenley Road Contribution to fitting out new Elstree & Borehamwood museum at 96 Shenley Road Contribution to Borehamwood Football Club

£552k £426k £231k

Project

Clearing contaminated land at Elstree Film Studios

2013/14 £’000 279 82 317 250 49 70 3,305

Enhancement to facilities at Elstree Film Studios

377

Construction of Radlett Café Planning control system Development of housing (for sale at a profit or to provide affordable rented accommodation)

74 186

Construction of police accommodation (50% funded by Police and Crime Commissioner) Refurbishment of Civic Offices: replacement windows Refurbishment of other council-owned properties Disability access grants Replacement of office equipment Other projects Total expenditure on capital projects

1,100 312 94 426 162 37 7,212

Moving forward to 2014/15 and beyond the council has committed funds to the following projects: Capital Commitments: Enhance sports pitches and pavilions Wyllyotts Centre improvements Construction of Radlett Café Purchase of street scene vehicles Development of housing (for sale at a profit or to provide affordable rented accommodation)

£’000 168 995 170 586

Refurbishment of council owned properties Enhancements to finance software Civic Offices refurbishment Other capital projects Total

148 157 205 582 4,803

These projects will be paid for by: The council’s earmarked reserves and grants The council’s useable capital receipts reserve Total

995 3,808 4,803

1,792

Your annual summary report from Hertsmere Borough Council | Working with you, for you | 7

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Summary financial report & accounts 2013/14

Collection fund and council tax Hertsmere Borough Council is responsible for collecting council tax and business rates from tax payers in its area. Council tax is collected to pay for the council’s services and also on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council, the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner and town and parish councils. Of the total charged to its residents approximately 11% is kept by Hertsmere Borough Council to help fund its services. The rest is split as shown in the diagram. During 2013/14, we collected £1,447 for an average Band D property, of which Hertsmere received £157. Council tax collection rates Hertsmere Borough Council County average National average

10%

2012/13 2013/14 98.0% 97.7% 97.7% 97.4% 97.4% 97.0%

Business rates Business rates are calculated using local rateable values (£114.2m in 2013/14) multiplied by nationally set rates (in 2013/14, 46.2p with small business relief and 47.1p without). All money collected is shared amongst the council, Hertfordshire County Council and central government. Central government assesses the council's share according to local need. During the year the, after allocating available reliefs, the council collected £44.62m in business rates. From this the council retained £2.2m which represented 16% of its external funding (excluding capital grants) for the year. Business rates collection rates Hertsmere Borough Council County average National average

2012/13 2013/14 98.2% 98.1% 98.0% 98.0% 97.7% 97.9%

Financial management and value for money

2% 11%

Our auditors have confirmed that they are satisfied that we have in place proper arrangements to secure value for money. Financial management Operating surplus for the year

77%

■ Police and Crime Commissioner ■ Hertsmere Borough Council ■ Town/parish councils ■ Hertfordshire County Council

Have your say We want to provide the best information for our residents and would like to know what you thought of this document. If you would like to provide feedback, please complete our survey and return it to: Finance Manager Hertsmere Borough Council FREEPOST SB116 Civic Offices, Elstree Way Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1BR (No stamp required). Or you can complete an online comment, compliments or complaints form at www.hertsmere.gov.uk

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 £387k*

£104k**

£188k***

Annual accounts submitted on time

Yes

Number of audit qualifications on accounts

Nil

* After adjusting for exceptional amounts due to the receipt of refunds of VAT and business rates ** Before setting aside £1m for the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme (LAMS) *** After adjusting for a timing difference of approximately £2m (see page 5)

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8 | Working with you, for you | Your annual summary report from Hertsmere Borough Council

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Celebrating 100 years of local film and television production Working with you, for you

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Elstree Way Corridor plan Borehamwood residents will have a chance to have their say on modifications to the council’s Elstree Way Corridor Area Action Plan following a public examination in October.

New levy for local infrastructure

The examination of the plan, which guides the future development of homes and other facilities in the area up to 2027, was conducted by an independent planning inspector who considered certain aspects of the plan having invited representatives to give their views, including members of the local residents’ association and Green Belt Society, county council officers, local developers and councillors. Hertsmere planning officers were present throughout to respond to questions and queries. Following discussions at the examination, some adjustments are expected to be made to clarify certain points in the plan and these will be subject to a six-week period of consultation before the inspector issues a decision next year.

New car parking standards The number of parking spaces that developers have to provide for new housing developments has increased following a revision of the council’s policy.

to reflect changes in national planning policy.

For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/ parkingstandards

For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/CIL

Need a mortgage?

For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/elstreewaycorridor or call 020 8207 2277.

Our Car Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document was updated in July to help address concerns that not enough parking was being provided at some new developments of flats and larger homes and

Roads, schools and park improvements will be the type of schemes to benefit from a new planning levy that the council has been the first to introduce in Hertfordshire. The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a direct charge we can place on developers to fund new infrastructure projects which will enable us to plan ahead and prioritise what the money should be spent on. A proportion of the levy will also be available to local parish and town councils to spend on services they deliver. CIL reduces the need to use the current system of ‘section 106’ planning agreements and will apply to most new developments where the proposed increase in floor space is 100 square metres or more.

To support homebuyers hoping to take their first step on the property ladder, the council has increased the maximum loan size for the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme (LAMS). LAMS was launched in November 2012 and is available to first-time buyers who can afford mortgage repayments and have a 5% deposit, but do not have the larger deposit now required by many mortgage lenders. The maximum loan size for the scheme is now £280,000 per property, reflecting the relatively high prices of homes in the borough. The scheme allows us to support firsttime buyers through the provision of a financial indemnity so that a 95% mortgage can be obtained on a similar interest rate to a 75% mortgage.

For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/LAMS

www.hertsmere.gov.uk | Hertsmere News | Winter 2014 | 11

Pick up your dog poo! There’s always one. But we hope our new dog poo campaign in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy encourages EVERYBODY to pick up after their pet. 12 | Winter 2014 | Hertsmere News | www.hertsmere.gov.uk

Glow in the dark posters, like the one shown above, and increased enforcement measures form part of the campaign which was launched on 24 November as complaints of dog poo in parks and on the street tend to rise in the winter months. We know the majority of people do pick up after their dog but to those who don’t, please bag it and bin it and remember, any bin will do!

Report dog poo and people who don’t pick up at www.hertsmere.gov.uk/ reportit or call 020 8207 2277.

Community news

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Great green spaces Did you know that within 30 seconds of being in a green space your blood pressure automatically regulates? Well you’re in the right place as Hertsmere still has the highest number of award-winning parks in the county! It was another clean sweep at this year’s Green Flag Awards with Hertsmere retaining all six flags for parks across the borough. A Green Flag is a national standard highlighting a quality green space which is well managed and among the best in the UK. Hertsmere’s Green Flags: • King George Recreation Ground in Bushey – held for 16 years • Oakmere Park in Potters Bar – held for 12 years • Aberford Park in Borehamwood – held for seven years • Parkfield in Potters Bar – held for six years

• Fishers Field Nature Reserve in Bushey – Community Award held for six years in recognition of work carried out by local volunteers who manage the site in partnership with the council • Bushey Rose Garden in Bushey – Heritage Site Accreditation held for four years since its restoration in 2010 Thanks go to our grounds maintenance contractor John O'Conner, Hertsmere Leisure which manages our park events and especially all our friends groups – Borehamwood Four Parks Friends Group, Friends of Bushey Rose Garden, Friends of

Arsenal boss opens new football stand

Fishers Field, Friends of King George Recreation Ground and Friends of Potters Bar Parks. You can still take advantage of our gorgeous parks during colder months, there’s nothing like wrapping up and going for a brisk walk on a crisp winter’s day! And don’t miss Christmas Carols in Bushey Rose Garden on 14 December, see the back page for more details.

For more information visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/parks

Atlanta Falcons touch down in Bushey More than a hundred children got an insight into American football when National Football League (NFL) stars touched down at Bushey Meads School, days before playing at Wembley as part of a drive to promote the sport in this country.

An 871-seat stand at Boreham Wood FC and Arsenal Ladies home ground at Meadow Park was opened by Arsène Wenger in July, following a financial contribution from the council.

The visit, organised by the council and Arsenal in the Community, also involved pupils from Little Reddings Primary School and Falconer School in Bushey and meant that children could have a go at a new sport under the expert eye of one of the game’s star teams. • Hertsmere has a very successful partnership with Arsenal Football Club which helped organise the NFL visit. Through the partnership the club delivers coaching sessions in primary schools across the borough every week, much to the delight of local schoolchildren.

Hundreds of Arsenal and Boreham Wood fans celebrated the occasion by filling the new stand to watch the teams play a preseason friendly which Arsenal won 2-0. Hertsmere provided £70,000 towards the £550,000 stand which runs the full length of the pitch and replaces a 1970s structure. Mr Wenger said: “It was a great honour to open Boreham Wood FC’s new west stand. It is an excellent facility which will allow the club to continue to develop. It will also be of great benefit to our ladies and academy sides, who play their home games at Meadow Park.” The council helped fund the stand to support the club’s development in recognition of its contribution to the local community. www.hertsmere.gov.uk | Hertsmere News | Winter 2014 | 13